Mercedes looking at naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 for AMG

The all-new twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 may be Mercedes-Benz's AMG division's much-heralded pride-and-joy engine, but it certainly won't find a home under the hood of every single AMG product. To that point, AutoWeek reports that Mercedes-Benz is working on a naturally aspirated version of the 5.5-liter V8, slated for use not only in the refreshed SLK55, but in the AMG-fettled version of the C-Class coupe, the C55.

This new mill is claimed to produce around 422 horsepower – 62 more than what's currently available in the SLK55. New technologies like a cylinder cut-off mechanism will help improve fuel consumption while still sending a larger helping of power to the car's rear wheels.

AutoWeek also reports that while the upcoming C55 AMG coupe (and its hardcore Black Series version, which is rumored to be in the cards) will use this new 5.5-liter mill, the four-door C63 AMG sedan will retain the 6.2-liter free-breathing V8 that we currently enjoy, and that's just fine by us.